Stokes back for England as Pakistan make four changes

Bengaluru — England captain Ben Stokes will return to the side for the second Test against Pakistan after missing the past four matches due to a hamstring injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday.

Stokes sustained the injury in August while playing in The Hundred, with Ollie Pope captaining the Test team in his absence.

Seamer Matthew Potts has also been named in the playing 11 for the first time since August, with Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes rested for the match in Multan, which begins on Tuesday.

England beat Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test.

Pakistan have made four changes to their side after resting senior cricketers including former captain Babar Azam from the rest of the series.

All-rounder Kamran Ghulam will make his Test debut, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Monday, as the hosts look to bounce back from the first Test.

Ghulam, 29, has previously represented Pakistan in a 50-over match in January 2023.

Spinners Noman Ali, Zahid Mehmood and Sajid Khan have also been named in the team with Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Sarfaraz Ahmed rested along with Azam.

Ali, 38, played his last Test in July 2023 while 36-year-old Mehmood has not represented Pakistan since December 2022. Khan’s previous Test appearance was in January.

The third match in the series is set for Rawalpindi from October 24.

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (capt), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mehmood 

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir